Rita Isabel Claussen
July 8, 1929 — October 8, 2016
Rita Isabel Weihs Claussen, daughter of Anton and Catherine (Stinn) Weihs, was born on July 8, 1929 in Earling, Iowa (Grove Township). She was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. Rita attended Grove Township Country School and Harlan Community High School in Harlan, Iowa graduating with the class of 1947.
After high school she worked as a phone operator and secretary. During this time she lived in Columbia, South Carolina and Omaha, Nebraska. Rita met Jack Claussen and was united in marriage on August 17, 1953 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan. They made their home in rural Harlan and to this union they had eight children: Jackie, Jeff, Liz, Kathy, John, Jim, Jay, and Tom. Rita was a proud mother and farm wife and later worked at CDS in Harlan.
Rita was involved in 4-H as a leader, member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church Women’s Circle, and was a Lincoln Township precinct election worker. After they retired from farming in 1989, Rita and Jack enjoyed spending winters in Florida, Texas, and Arizona and spending summers at Lake Okoboji. She took joy in her free time gardening, reading, crocheting, embroidering, and being with family.
Rita died on October 8, 2016 at Mrytue Medical Center surrounded by family having attained the age of eighty-seven years and three months. She is preceded in death by her parents; sisters Edna Weihs, Bernice Anastasi, and Marilyn Williamson; and brothers Alfred and Louis Weihs.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years Jack Claussen of Harlan; children Jackie and her husband Garlyn Major of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Jeff Claussen of Council Bluffs; Liz and her husband Mark McKeever of Council Bluffs, Kathy Claussen of Boynton Beach, Florida; John Claussen of Des Moines, Iowa; Jim Claussen of Harlan; Jay Claussen of Kansas City, Missouri, and Tom Claussen of Harlan; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; brother Wilfred Weihs and his wife JoAnn of Harlan; sister JoAnn and her husband Mike Kostanecki of Boise, Idaho; many nieces and nephews; and many friends.
After high school she worked as a phone operator and secretary. During this time she lived in Columbia, South Carolina and Omaha, Nebraska. Rita met Jack Claussen and was united in marriage on August 17, 1953 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan. They made their home in rural Harlan and to this union they had eight children: Jackie, Jeff, Liz, Kathy, John, Jim, Jay, and Tom. Rita was a proud mother and farm wife and later worked at CDS in Harlan.
Rita was involved in 4-H as a leader, member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church Women’s Circle, and was a Lincoln Township precinct election worker. After they retired from farming in 1989, Rita and Jack enjoyed spending winters in Florida, Texas, and Arizona and spending summers at Lake Okoboji. She took joy in her free time gardening, reading, crocheting, embroidering, and being with family.
Rita died on October 8, 2016 at Mrytue Medical Center surrounded by family having attained the age of eighty-seven years and three months. She is preceded in death by her parents; sisters Edna Weihs, Bernice Anastasi, and Marilyn Williamson; and brothers Alfred and Louis Weihs.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years Jack Claussen of Harlan; children Jackie and her husband Garlyn Major of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Jeff Claussen of Council Bluffs; Liz and her husband Mark McKeever of Council Bluffs, Kathy Claussen of Boynton Beach, Florida; John Claussen of Des Moines, Iowa; Jim Claussen of Harlan; Jay Claussen of Kansas City, Missouri, and Tom Claussen of Harlan; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; brother Wilfred Weihs and his wife JoAnn of Harlan; sister JoAnn and her husband Mike Kostanecki of Boise, Idaho; many nieces and nephews; and many friends.
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